Chamber interviews for new president

Published: Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 11:29 p.m.

The Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce’s search committee is still in the process of finding a new chamber president.

“We have no target date as to when we are going to hire someone. We are going through the interview process now,” said board Chairman Billy Foster.

The committee started the search for a new president about a week after Chamber President Drake Pothier resigned Oct. 26. Pothier left the position to head an Allstate insurance office in Lafayette.

Foster and Jerry Ledet, chairmen of the search committee, said the group posted ads in newspapers and online to seek applicants for president.

“We posted it locally as well as through chamber organizations and other nonprofit-type organizations,” Ledet said.

“We had a list of things we were looking for. But it was mostly based upon experience and education,” Foster said.

Foster said the committee has been interviewing candidates for two weeks and the process could possibly roll over in to next year.

“If we could select someone before the year is out that would be great. It’s unlikely someone would start before the end of the year though. Although it’s physically possible, I think it is unlikely,” he said.

The staff, the executive committee, Foster and the incoming Chamber Chairwoman Jennifer Armand have banded together to pick up the workload since Pothier’s resignation. Even though they have things under control, those helping out are looking forward to someone filling the position.

“The sooner the better. But with that said, we are not going to shorten the process because of time. We are going to go through the process to make sure we find the right person. We are committed to finding from within the applicants that we have to fill that position, and however long that takes that is what we are going to do,” Foster said.

Pothier joined the chamber as president in 2008. Prior to that, he worked as the communications director for the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce in 2002 and as the vice president of operations for the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce in Fort Smith, Ark., in 2006.

The application process is closed but could reopen if a suitable candidate is not found, chamber officials said.

Staff Writer Sable LeFrere can be reached at 857-2204 or at sable.lefrere@houmatoday.com.

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